PHOENIX, Feb. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Grand Canyon Education, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOPE), a comprehensive regionally accredited university that offers over 200 graduate and undergraduate degree programs and certificates across nine colleges both online and on ground at its over 260 acre campus in Phoenix, Arizona, today announced financial results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2016.

For the three months ended December 31, 2016:

Net revenue increased 13.3% to $244.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2016, compared to $216.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2015.

End-of-period enrollment increased 9.9% to 81,908 at December 31, 2016, from 74,506 at December 31, 2015, as ground enrollment increased 13.6% to 17,262 at December 31, 2016, from 15,195 at December 31, 2015 and online enrollment increased 9.0% to 64,646 at December 31, 2016, from 59,311 at December 31, 2015.

Operating income for the three months ended December 31, 2016 was $76.7 million, an increase of 21.5% as compared to $63.1 million for the same period in 2015. The operating margin for the three months ended December 31, 2016 was 31.3%, compared to 29.2% for the same period in 2015.

The tax rate in the three months ended December 31, 2016 was 37.2% compared to 38.6% in the same period in 2015. The variance in the effective tax rate year over year is primarily due to a higher contribution in lieu of state income taxes to school sponsoring organizations in the third quarter of 2016 of $4.0 million as compared to the $2.8 million contribution made in the third quarter of 2015.

Net income increased 25.9% to $48.0 million for the fourth quarter of 2016, compared to $38.1 million for the same period in 2015.

Diluted net income per share was $1.01 for the fourth quarter of 2016, compared to $0.81 for the same period in 2015.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 19.6% to $93.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2016, compared to $77.9 million for the same period in 2015.

For the year ended December 31, 2016:

Net revenue increased 12.2% to $873.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $778.2 million for the same period in 2015.

Operating income for the year ended December 31, 2016 was $237.2 million, an increase of 12.8% as compared to $210.4 million for the same period in 2015. The operating margin for the year ended December 31, 2016 was 27.2%, compared to 27.0% for the same period in 2015.

The tax rate for both years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 was 37.1%.

Net income increased 13.0% to $148.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $131.4 million for the same period in 2015.

Diluted net income per share was $3.15 for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $2.78 for the same period in 2015.

Adjusted EBITDA increased 14.7% to $304.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2016, compared to $265.0 million for the same period in 2015.

Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

During 2016, the University financed our operating activities and capital expenditures primarily through cash provided by operating activities. Our unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and investments were $108.6 million at December 31, 2016 and our restricted cash, cash equivalents and investments were $84.9 million. In December 2012, we entered into a new credit agreement, which increased our term loan to $100 million with a maturity date of December 2019. Additionally, this facility, as amended in January 2016, provides a revolving line of credit in the amount of $150 million through December 2017 to be utilized for working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes. Indebtedness under the credit facility is secured by our assets and is guaranteed by certain of our subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2016, $25.0 million was drawn on the revolver, which was repaid in January 2017.

Net cash generated by operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 was $218.3 million and $173.9 million, respectively. Cash provided by operations in 2016 and 2015 resulted from our net income plus non-cash charges for provision for bad debts, depreciation and amortization, timing of income tax and employee related payments and student deposits and changes in other working capital.

Net cash used in investing activities was $216.0 million and $200.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Our cash used in investing activities is primarily related to the purchase of short-term investments and capital expenditures, partially offset by proceeds from the sale or maturity of short-term investments. Proceeds from investment, net of purchases of short-term investments, was $20.8 million and $17.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Capital expenditures were $178.3 million and $204.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. In 2016, capital expenditures primarily consisted of ground campus building projects that started in late 2015 such as three more apartment style residence halls, a 170,000 square foot classroom building for our College of Science, Engineering and Technology, a student service center, and a fourth parking structure, as well as land purchases adjacent to or near our Phoenix campus, and purchases of computer equipment, other internal use software projects and furniture and equipment to support our increasing employee headcount. Included in off-site development during 2016 is $60.7 million primarily related to an off-site student services center and parking garage that is in close proximity to our ground traditional campus. Employees that worked in two leased office buildings in the Phoenix area were relocated to this new building by the end of 2016. In 2015, in order to accommodate the continued growth of our traditional ground population, we completed four additional dormitories, a classroom building for our College of Science, Engineering and Technology, and a third parking structure prior to the 2015/2016 school year and started construction on all the construction projects completed in 2016, as well as land purchases adjacent to or near our Phoenix campus, and purchases of computer equipment, other internal use software projects and furniture and equipment to support our increasing employee headcount. Included in off-site development during 2015 is $10.0 million we spent to revitalize what was formerly known as the Maryvale Golf Course under a partnership agreement with the City of Phoenix. The golf course is now known as Grand Canyon University Championship golf course. Also, in late 2015, we commenced construction on the off-site student services center and parking garage that is in close proximity to our ground traditional campus.

Net cash provided by financing activities was $20.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. Net cash used in financing activities was $15.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2015. During 2016, net cash provided by financing activities consisted of net proceeds received from the revolving line of credit of $25.0 million, proceeds from the exercise of stock options of $13.2 million and excess tax benefits from share-based compensation of $9.9 million, partially offset by $15.4 million used to purchase treasury stock in accordance with the University's share repurchase program and $4.7 million used to purchase common shares withheld in lieu of income taxes resulting from restricted share awards and principal payments on notes payable, repayments on our notes payable and capital lease payments totaled $7.2 million. During 2015, $11.3 million was used to purchase treasury stock in accordance with the University's share repurchase program and $4.3 million was used to purchase common shares withheld in lieu of income taxes resulting from restricted share awards while principal payments on notes payable and capital leases totaled $6.8 million, partially offset by proceeds from the exercise of stock options of $3.5 million and excess tax benefits from share-based compensation of $3.6 million.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which include information relating to future events, future financial performance, strategies expectations, competitive environment, regulation, and availability of resources. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding: projections, predictions, expectations, estimates, and forecasts as to our business, financial and operating results, and future economic performance, as well as; and statements of management's goals and objectives and other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Words such as "may," "should," "could," "would," "predicts," "potential," "continue," "expects," "anticipates," "future," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates" and similar expressions, as well as statements in future tense, identify forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time those statements are made or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to: our failure to comply with the extensive regulatory framework applicable to our industry, including Title IV of the Higher Education Act and the regulations thereunder, state laws and regulatory requirements, and accrediting commission requirements; the ability of our students to obtain federal Title IV funds, state financial aid, and private financing; potential damage to our reputation or other adverse effects as a result of negative publicity in the media, in the industry or in connection with governmental reports or investigations or otherwise, affecting us or other companies in the for-profit postsecondary education sector; risks associated with changes in applicable federal and state laws and regulations and accrediting commission standards, including pending rulemaking by the Department of Education; competition from other universities in our geographic region and market sector, including competition for students, qualified executives and other personnel; our ability to properly manage risks and challenges associated with strategic initiatives, including the expansion of our campus, potential acquisitions of, or investments in, new businesses, acquisitions of new properties, or the development of new campuses; our ability to hire and train new, and develop and train existing, faculty and employees; the pace of growth of our enrollment; our ability to convert prospective students to enrolled students and to retain active students; our success in updating and expanding the content of existing programs and developing new programs in a cost-effective manner or on a timely basis; industry competition, including competition for qualified executives and other personnel; risks associated with the competitive environment for marketing our programs; failure on our part to keep up with advances in technology that could enhance the online experience for our students; the extent to which obligations under our loan agreement, including the need to comply with restrictive and financial covenants and to pay principal and interest payments, limits our ability to conduct our operations or seek new business opportunities; our ability to manage future growth effectively; general adverse economic conditions or other developments that affect job prospects of our students; and other factors discussed in reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions, or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information, except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If we do update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements.

Conference Call

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. will discuss its fourth quarter 2016 results and 2017 outlook during a conference call scheduled for today, February 16, 2017 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time (ET). To participate in the live call, investors should dial 877-577-1769 (domestic and Canada) or 706-679-7806 (international), passcode 64864546 at 4:25 p.m. (ET). The Webcast will be available on the Grand Canyon Education, Inc. Web site at www.gcu.edu.

A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours following the conclusion of the call, at 855-859-2056 (domestic) or 404-537-3406 (international), passcode 64864546. It will also be archived at www.gcu.edu in the investor relations section for 60 days.

About Grand Canyon Education, Inc.

Grand Canyon Education, Inc. is a comprehensive regionally accredited university that offers over 200 graduate and undergraduate degree programs and certificates across nine colleges both online and on ground at our over 260 acre campus in Phoenix, Arizona, at leased facilities and at facilities owned by third party employers of our students. We are committed to providing an academically rigorous educational experience with a focus on professionally relevant programs that meet the objectives of our students. Our undergraduate programs are designed to be innovative and meet the future needs of employers while providing students with the needed critical thinking and effective communication skills developed through a Christian-oriented, liberal arts foundation. We offer master and doctoral degrees in contemporary fields that are designed to provide students with the capacity for transformational leadership in their chosen industry, emphasizing the immediate relevance of theory, application, and evaluation to promote personal and organizational change. Approximately 81,900 students were enrolled as of December 31, 2016. For more information about Grand Canyon Education, Inc., please visit http://www.gcu.edu.

Admissions advisory and related, including $177 and $169 for the three months ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and $980 and $1,575 for the year ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, to related parties

32,062

29,361

119,286

112,572

Advertising

21,000

18,419

88,152

76,229

Marketing and promotional

2,383

1,978

8,860

7,287

General and administrative

10,260

10,634

43,219

42,100

Lease termination costs

160

—

3,523

—

Total costs and expenses

167,965

152,819

636,141

567,839

Operating income

76,698

63,135

237,203

210,361

Interest expense

(497)

(414)

(1,328)

(1,248)

Interest and other income

199

(691)

249

(106)

Income before income taxes

76,400

62,030

236,124

209,007

Income tax expense

28,421

23,916

87,610

77,596

Net income

$ 47,979

$ 38,114

$ 148,514

$ 131,411

Earnings per share:

Basic income per share

$ 1.03

$ 0.83

$ 3.22

$ 2.86

Diluted income per share

$ 1.01

$ 0.81

$ 3.15

$ 2.78

Basic weighted average shares outstanding

46,470

46,035

46,083

45,975

Diluted weighted average shares outstanding

47,452

47,337

47,121

47,281

GRAND CANYON EDUCATION, INC.

Adjusted EBITDA

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net income plus interest expense, less interest income and other gain (loss) recognized on investments, plus income tax expense, and plus depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), as adjusted for (i) the amortization of prepaid royalty payments recorded in conjunction with a settlement of a dispute with our former owner; (ii) contributions to Arizona school tuition organizations in lieu of the payment of state income taxes; (iii) share-based compensation and (iv) one-time, unusual charges or gains, such as litigation and regulatory reserves, impairment charges and asset write-offs, and exit or lease termination costs. We present Adjusted EBITDA because we consider it to be an important supplemental measure of our operating performance. We also make certain compensation decisions based, in part, on our operating performance, as measured by Adjusted EBITDA, and our loan agreement requires us to comply with covenants that include performance metrics substantially similar to Adjusted EBITDA. All of the adjustments made in our calculation of Adjusted EBITDA are adjustments to items that management does not consider to be reflective of our core operating performance. Management considers our core operating performance to be that which can be affected by our managers in any particular period through their management of the resources that affect our underlying revenue and profit generating operations during that period and does not consider the items for which we make adjustments (as listed above) to be reflective of our core performance.

We believe Adjusted EBITDA allows us to compare our current operating results with corresponding historical periods and with the operational performance of other companies in our industry because it does not give effect to potential differences caused by variations in capital structures (affecting relative interest expense, including the impact of write-offs of deferred financing costs when companies refinance their indebtedness), tax positions (such as the impact on periods or companies of changes in effective tax rates or net operating losses), the book amortization of intangibles (affecting relative amortization expense), and other items that we do not consider reflective of underlying operating performance. We also present Adjusted EBITDA because we believe it is frequently used by securities analysts, investors, and other interested parties as a measure of performance.

In evaluating Adjusted EBITDA, investors should be aware that in the future we may incur expenses similar to the adjustments described above. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by expenses that are unusual, non-routine, or non-recurring. Adjusted EBITDA has limitations as an analytical tool in that, among other things it does not reflect:

interest expense, or the cash required to replace assets that are being depreciated or amortized; and

the impact on our reported results of earnings or charges resulting from the items for which we make adjustments to our EBITDA, as described above and set forth in the table below.

In addition, other companies, including other companies in our industry, may calculate these measures differently than we do, limiting the usefulness of Adjusted EBITDA as a comparative measure. Because of these limitations, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as a substitute for net income, operating income, or any other performance measure derived in accordance with and reported under GAAP, or as an alternative to cash flow from operating activities or as a measure of our liquidity. We compensate for these limitations by relying primarily on our GAAP results and only use Adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental performance measure.

The following table provides a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA, which is a non-GAAP measure for the periods indicated:

The following is a summary of our student enrollment at December 31, 2016 and 2015 by degree type and by instructional delivery method:

2016(1)

2015(1)

# of Students

% of Total

# of Students

% of Total

Graduate degrees(2)

33,215

40.6%

29,237

39.2%

Undergraduate degree

48,693

59.4%

45,269

60.8%

Total

81,908

100.0%

74,506

100.0%

2016(1)

2015(1)

# of Students

% of Total

# of Students

% of Total

Online(3)

64,646

78.9%

59,311

79.6%

Ground(4)

17,262

21.1%

15,195

20.4%

Total

81,908

100.0%

74,506

100.0%

(1)

Enrollment at December 31, 2016 and 2015 represents individual students who attended a course during the last two months of the calendar quarter. Includes 847 and 679 students pursuing non-degree certificates at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

(2)

Includes 7,084 and 6,302 students pursuing doctoral degrees at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

(3)

As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, 49.5% and 47.8%, respectively, of our working adult students (online and professional studies students) were pursuing graduate or doctoral degrees.

(4)

Includes both our traditional on-campus ground students, as well as our professional studies students.